New Atlas

Medical Audio available

3D-printed transparent skull could offer clearer views of Alzheimer's at work

Nick Lavars April 2, 2019

There is a lot to learn about Alzheimer’s and how it can be better treated. Scientists now have an inventive new tool with which to look into such matters, in the form of a transparent skull that allows them to peer into heads of mice.

Mouse brain at six weeks and 36 weeks after implantation of the See-Shell

3D Printing Audio available

Prototype bionic eye created with custom 3D printer

Ben Coxworth August 29, 2018

When he was an assistant professor at Princeton University, Michael McAlpine led the development of a 3D-printed bionic ear. Now an associate professor at the University of Minnesota, he has gone on to 3D-print a rudimentary bionic eye.

The photodiodes are made of a semiconducting polymer printed over a base of silver-containing ink

Medical

3D-printed nerve stem cells could help patch up spinal cord injuries

Michael Irving August 10, 2018

Researchers at the University of Minnesota have designed a silicone device, covered in 3D-printed neuronal stem cells, that can be implanted into a spinal injury. There it grows new connections between remaining nerves to let patients regain some motor control.

A 3D-printed device, loaded with neuronal stem cells, that can be implanted into an injured spinal ...

3D Printing

Electronics 3D-printed onto human skin

Ben Coxworth April 26, 2018

Various research institutes have already developed skin-applied electronics, that are simply adhered to the user's body. Researchers at the University of Minnesota, however, have taken a different approach. They've developed a method of 3D-printing custom electronics directly onto the skin.

The printing system can compensate for subtle movements of the hand

Science

Get bored easily? A better memory could be to blame

Michael Irving May 2, 2017

There may be an unexpected upside to being relatively forgetful – you might be able to enjoy things for longer. A new study has found that people with a higher-capacity memory tend to get bored faster, due to the fact that they remember experiences in more detail and feel more satiated by them.

A new study has found that people with a higher-capacity memory tend to get bored of ...

Medical

Heart-healing patch has got the beat

Ben Coxworth April 17, 2017

One of the many problems with heart attacks is that when the heart heals afterwards, it grows non-beating scar tissue over the part of the heart that was damaged. There may be hope, however, as scientists have created a new patch that allows the heart to heal more completely.

Biomedical engineering Associate Professor Brenda Ogle (right) and Ph.D student Molly Kupfer, with a mouse heart

Biology

Iron nanoparticles could bring organs back from a deep freeze

Michael Franco March 2, 2017

While deep-freezing techniques exist to preserve organs for long periods of time, the tissue can get damaged when being reheated, making it an impractical solution for transplants. Researchers at the University of Minnesota believe they've solved this problem thanks to tiny microscopic particles.

While the technique still needs to be scaled up, it might one day be possible to ...

Environment

Can tires be made from grass and trees?

Nick Lavars February 9, 2017

Scientists are claiming a chemical breakthrough that replaces the key molecule in conventional tires with one sourced from grass and trees instead, all without affecting the tire's color, shape or performance.

The researchers say the discovery gives the prospect of renewable isoprene a real boost

Science

EEG tech gives users the power of mind control without putting a hole in their heads

Lisa-Ann Lee December 16, 2016

A non-invasive robotic arm developed by University of Minnesota researchers could give the physically impaired a newfound sense of mobility without the risk of going under the knife.

It's all in the mind: the EEG cap lets wearers control the robotic arm with just ...

Environment

New soap is cleaner and greener

Ben Coxworth October 26, 2016

The majority of commonly-used soaps contain petroleum. While there are petroleum-free soaps out there, they often don't perform that well. Now, however, scientists have developed one that is claimed to actually work better than mainstream products.

Air bubbles in a mixture of liquid water and OFS soap